Car-axle and box



(No Model.)

L. H. ROBERTS. GAR AXLE AND BOX.

Patented May 22,1883.

, 2" i l z INVENTOR WITNESSES 6&4 72%;?

@w mag ATTORNEYS.

PATENT OFFlCE.

LEVI H. ROBERTS, OF PARIS, ILLINOIS.

CAR-AXLE AND BOX.

srnclricn'rrolv forming part of Letters Patent No. 27s,o4s, dated May 22, 1883.

Application filed March .31, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it-known that I, LEVI H. ROBERTS, of Paris, in the county of Edgar and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Axles and Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to certain improve ments in my new and improved car-axle box shown and described in Letters Patent No.

- 269,714, dated December- 26, 1882, and has for its object, first, to prevent the sudden or dead stop of the cars in their sidewise or swaying movement while in motion,and to lessen the friction, especially in rounding curves; and, secondly, to so construct the frame of the axlebox that the parts of the box will remain in place when the bolts are entirely withdrawn; and to these ends the invention consists, first, in providing elastic or yielding surfaces for taking the side thrusts of the axle; and, secondly, in making the bottom and ends of the frame from one piece of metal with solid bent or welded corners.

Theinvention also consists in beveling the upper ends of the continuous frame, and in making corresponding cross-grooves in the upper re movable plate of the frame, so that a binding action will be produced when the axle-box is bolted together.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of the 0011- tinuous frame of the axle-box. Fig. 2 is, a transverse sectional elevation of the axle-box, showing the improved axle; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the outer end of the axle.

The front and rear journal-boxes, A A, the friction-rollers B, and the bearing-blocks (J are of the same form and construction as shown and described in my above-mentioned patent.

The axle E is bored at its ends to form chambers, as shown at F, that are about four or five inches deep by one to one and a half inch in.

diameter, forming the shoulder c in the chambers, as shown. In these chambers are placed the heavy coiled wire springs Gr,- and upon these springs are placed the metallic (preferably steel) plugs H, which fit the chamber and project therefrom a half-inch or more past the ends of the axle, so as to be adapted to come against the thrust-plates J of the axle-boxes, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and thus cushion the ends of the axles. The plugs H are formed with the offsets c, that are adapted to come against the shoulders c in the chamber for protecting the springs G from being crushed or otherwise injured by the inward thrust of the plugs.

The bottom piece, K, and side pieces, L L, of the frame which holds the journal-boxes A A, instead of being made separate, as in my said patent, are made in one continuous piece bent at the corners or welded, thus avoiding the necessity of forming claws upon them, as in the former construction, and making the frame so that it will sustain the parts of the journal-box when the bolts M M and upper plate, N, are removed for. any purpose. This construction also facilitates the assembling of theparts of the axle-boxin the first instance and whenever it is taken apart. The upper ends of the side pieces, L L, of the frame are beveled off, as shown at l l, and the upper plate, N, is formed with the V-shaped cross-grooves l l, as shown in Fig. 1, into which the beveled upper ends of the side pieces, L L, fit, so that when the nuts on the bolts M M are screwed down, the slots will have a drawing action upon the side pieces, L L, and thus cause them to firmly grasp the edges of the front and rear journal-boxes, A A, as will be understood from Fig. l. V

,Fitting over the ends of the U-shaped bolt is a cross-plate, f, which is brought down upon the clamp D by screw-nuts g g, that fit the screw-threaded ends of said bolt.

The clamp-plates D D fit upon the frame of the axle-box the same as in my aforesaid patent, and are'held in place by the said plain and U bolts M M; and to prevent the lower end of" the U- bolt sliding outward I form upon the under side of the plate D the log (I, which serves to keep the lower end of this bolt in place, as will be understood from Fig. 1.

Constructed in this manner it will be seen that the axle-box is made strong and complete, and that by cushioning the ends of the axle the pounding and jar, and consequent excessive wear and tear upon the axle-boxes and cartrucks generally, incident to the sudden and dead stopping of the endwise thrusts of the axles against the thrust-plates of the boxes, are to a great extent avoided, and that the boxes are thus relieved of much of the strain that they would otherwise have. to sustain. Another advantage gained by the plug H is that the friction consequent upon the side thrusts in rounding curves, or any side friction that may occur, is taken upon the end of the plug, and that, extending beyond the axle,it throws the friction from the surface to the center of the axle and materially reduces the friction.

Instead of using the coiled spring G in the recesses in the axle, springs of soft rubber may be used with the same result.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of an axle-box with an axle, E, having a hollow journal, F, plug H, and spiral spring G, substantially as set forth.

2. The axle E, formed with the chamber F, in combination with the spring G orits equivalent, and the'plug H substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The chamber F, enlarged to form the shoulder c in the axle, in combination with the spring G and plug H, formed with the offset a, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The frame for holding the journal-boxes AA, consisting of the lower piece, K, and side pieces, L L, made in one piece, with solid bent or welded corners, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The side pieces, L, beveled off at their upper ends, in combination with the upper piece, N, formed with the cross-slots Z Z, substantiaily as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of clamp-plates D D, the latter provided with lug (I, with U-shaped bolt M, plate 7, and .nuts 9 g, substantially as set forth.

LEVI-H. ROBERTS. Witnesses:

CHARLES V. LODGE, THOMAS LACY. 

